Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang emphasized the need to boost self-reliance and strength in science and technology, build a modernized industrial system, and gather strong momentum for high-quality development. Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the statement on an inspection tour of central China's Hubei Province from Monday to Wednesday.
Ding learned about the production and operations of enterprises, as well as the development of high-tech industries as he visited Hubei Angel Biotechnology Group Co., Ltd., Accelink Technologies Corporation and Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd.
Noting that enterprises are the main drivers of technological innovation, Ding said efforts should be made to promote the gathering of various innovative factors within enterprises and find solutions to help them overcome difficulties and challenges, thereby stimulating their innovation vitality and internal momentum.
Ding also stressed the need to deepen the integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation. He said that efforts should be focused on key areas and weak links and it is also important to maintain the security and stability of the industrial and supply chains, and promote the high-end, intelligent, and green development of industries.
He also called on developing industrial clusters with distinctive advantages, nurture and expand strategic emerging industries, and develop new quality productive forces in line with local conditions.
As he visited Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Hubei Jiufengshan Laboratory, Ding emphasized the need to strengthen the support of education for technology and talent, optimize the development of disciplines and majors, enhance the ability to cultivate talent independently, and continuously train high-quality, top-tier innovative professionals.
Ding also emphasized the need to enhance the level of application of scientific and technological advances and build a group of world-class science and technology periodicals.
As he inspected the Gezhouba hydropower plant on the Yangtze River, Ding learned about the research of the implementation of major national strategies and security capacity-building in key areas and the development status of the high-quality development of the Yangtze Economic Belt.
Ding emphasized the need to prioritize the restoration of the Yangtze River's ecological environment, continuously strengthen the management of sewage discharge, solid waste, and other pollutants, and promote the green transformation of shipping equipment to reduce pollutant emissions at the source.
Chinese vice premier emphasizes self-reliance, strength in science, technology
From cutting-edge technology exhibitions to retail stores thousands of kilometers away from Europe and Southeast Asia, China-made robot vacuum cleaners are increasingly becoming a popular choice among consumers worldwide.
At electronics retailers in Berlin, Germany, Chinese brands such as Roborock and Dreame occupy prominent positions in dedicated robot vacuum sections, offering a wide range of products priced between 200 and 2,000 euros.
Many local consumers said that when purchasing smart home appliances including robot vacuum cleaners, they tend to give priority to Chinese-made products.
"It's a good price and good quality. It's also the innovation. I have a feeling that the European brands are not innovating enough," said one customer.
"I think they're always on top of the other technologies. They are getting them out faster. A lot of us are switching to the Chinese technology," another consumer said.
Germany is one of the most important overseas markets for China's floor-cleaning robots.
According to data from market research firm GfK, from January to November 2025, more than six out of 10 robot vacuum cleaners sold in Western Europe were Chinese brands.
Industry data also point to a strong global momentum.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), global shipments of smart robot vacuum cleaners reached 17.424 million units in the first three quarters of 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 18.7 percent.
Chinese brands including Roborock, Ecovacs, Dreame, Xiaomi and Narwal ranked among the world's top five in terms of shipment volume, with a combined share of nearly 70 percent of the global market.
At a robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing plant in Huizhou, south China's Guangdong Province, workers were seen stepping up production of newly launched models that recently debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in the United States, which concluded Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The factory adjusted its production lines as early as December 2025 and stocked inventory in advance for overseas markets to ensure that new products could be delivered to global consumers at the earliest possible time.
"In 2025, Roborock's global shipments exceeded 7.2 million units. Since 2024, overseas revenue has accounted for more than 50 percent of our total revenue. Our products have now been sold to more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than 20 million households worldwide," said Quan Gang, president of Roborock.
At another robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing facility in Dongguan, Guangdong, rising overseas orders have prompted the company to upgrade its production lines with intelligent technologies to further boost capacity. The factory is currently operating at full load to meet a growing demand.
"For 2026, we have already obtained overseas orders worth at least 300 million to 400 million yuan (around 43 million to 57.3 million U.S. dollars). In addition, we've engaged in strategic cooperation with European home appliance group Cebos Group, and our total confirmed orders have exceeded 600 million yuan (around 86 million U.S. dollars)," said Zhang Junbin, founder and CEO of Narwal Robotics.
Chinese robot vacuum brands gain strong global traction
